Now that the 2018 movie season is officially in the bag, I would be remiss in my duties if I didn’t take time to point out a few impactful films that didn’t make my list of reviews throughout the year.
Revenge
Writer/Director: Coralie Fargeat
Stars: Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz, Kevin Janssens, and Vincent Colombe
Set against the backdrop of the Moroccan desert, this French/Belgian collaboration pits a young woman in a fight for survival against a group of attackers who left her for dead after a heinous sexual assault. A fairly straightforward “revenge” flick, reminiscent of I Spit on Your Grave, shot with refreshing color and framing by Robrecht Heyvaert complements strong villainous performances by Janssens and Colombe. This movie isn’t for the squeamish or faint of heart but the makeup and effects teams did a remarkable job with the blood and prosthetics work…and boy was there a lot of it. This wasn’t quite the feminine anthem it was made out to be but Lutz made for a worthy hero who’s easy to root for. The action and the violence are byproducts of the genre but it’s an entertaining ride.
Destroyer
Director: Karyn Kusama
Writer(s): Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi
Stars: Nicole Kidman, Sebastian Stan, and Toby Kebbell
A gritty tale of greed and revenge follows an LAPD detective as she tracks down the leader of a gang in which she had been undercover as a young officer. The narrative style is intentionally deceptive as it covers a wide bit of background. There is no question that Kusama gave this vehicle to Kidman who gives a phenomenal performance as the alcoholic and desperate detective attempting to exorcise personal demons. She had good chemistry with Stan who was strong but underutilized in his role as a fellow undercover agent who plays a pivotal role in the plot mechanism. There is a lot of tension present throughout but the discovery at the end raises some questions about pacing.
On the Basis of Sex
Director: Mimi Leder
Writer: Daniel Stiepleman
Stars: Felicity Jones, Armie Hammer, and Justin Theroux
The Ruth Bader Ginsburg biopic focuses on her formative years in law school and the case that would go on to make her career. Jones is charismatic and fierce in the lead, even while saddled with the make-or-break Brooklyn accent. Through many ups and downs at the beginning of the civil rights era, there are plenty of moments that warrant admiration. Armie Hammer is solid as the supportive husband but fairly bottled up as far as his skill set is concerned. It boils down to partial biography and partial courtroom drama. The latter gets the point across, with Jones delivering a powerful closing monologue, but isn’t structured as a procedural drama. Combined with the RBG documentary, which was nominated for an Academy Award, 2018 was a good year for Justice Ginsburg.
Vox Lux
Writer/Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Natalie Portman, Jude Law, and Raffey Cassidy
One of the stranger films of 2018 takes a look at how tragedy shapes people. In the aftermath of a horrific event, a young woman’s original song becomes an anthem for the world. Combined roles for Portman and Cassidy show the alarming evolution of this character and the toll stardom and infamy can take on a person. Law gives a very telling performance as the sleazy manager who dips his pen in company ink. While the film can be erratic at times, Corbet utilized 70s horror-style elements to punctuate the film and cultivate a very unique viewing experience. In the midst of exploring tragedy and self-loathing, the movie just kind of ends without resolution. It was certainly an interesting take on the subject but could have been explored further.